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Archive for December, 2011good showers and toilets would be a bonus alternatively check out http://www.keycamp.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=Campsites.Europemap&ver=2 this will lead you to a map of campsites all over europe. hope this helps need to put caravan on asite in exeter I don’t have any experience with this club, but I have used The Caravan Club, and can recommend them very highly. There link is http://www.caravanclub.co.uk Imagine you are facing blizzard storms for six months, and then for the next six months you are facing hot humid heat. What type of gear would you bring along? What axe would you pick? what style of back pack would you pick, and what make and model? What weapon would you bring along? what type of pants would you pack, and how many? what type of bdu would you pack, and how many? keeping in mind every day you are traveling between fiffteen to 20 miles a day. your only soruce of food when it gets blizzardy is wild animals, and maybe some fish. what type of knife would you pack? what style of boots would you pack? what type of thermal underwear would you wear? what would be the ultimate set up for such an occasion. keeping in mind you have enough money to cover everything. would you have a bow, or a rifle- or what? for six months your in a rain-forest atmosphere, and the next six months your surviving negative five degree tempature. what would your gear list be? Keeping in mind you have to deal with wild animals in both the negative degree weather, and then in the rain forest scenario. The biggest animals would bears, and maybe even tigers. again list what you would pack no opinions please. I have been doing research on this, and so far I can’t get any good lists going. Your chance of being eaten by a bear is 1:1,000,000. There are only about 5,000 tigers on the planet, so you are not likely to encounter one in any rainforest. You are most likely going to die within a few days of hypothermia or hyperthermia. Most survival stories end after about three days. After that, rescue parties are searching for corpse recovery.
The Ring of Kerry in western Ireland is 115 miles long but there are two parts of it that are unmissable. They are at each end of the Ring, which basically means you need to drive the whole of it to appreciate it fully. The local maps and tourist board advise travelling in an anti-clockwise direction around the Ring of Kerry to make the most of the sights, but I don’t personally think it makes any difference as you probably will need to stop every few hundred metres anyway. There are plenty of lay-by’s to stop and take photos, so there’s no need to stop somewhere dumb. Duration : 0:5:20
Hope you enjoyed my video, I plan on making some videos on some of my backpacking trips so don’t forget to subscribe to get the updates!!!!! Hike clean everyone! Don’t leave your trash! Pack it in pack it out! (I can’t carry mine and all of yours out!) Duration : 0:15:28 By Glenn H. Kipps Choices! Choices! Do you leave Fido home on this sunny weekend to be tended to once or twice a day by a kind neighbor? Or do you learn all that you can about camping with your dog and take him along to explore nature with you? Camping with your dog can be an enjoyable experience, but it takes planning to be sure an oversight does not interrupt or cancel your outing. Before leaving home with your dog, there are considerations – besides water and food – that can be taken care of ahead of time to avoid sticky situations after you arrive at the campground. Since you are taking your dog, there are additional items you must add to your camping gear list as well.. 1. Most importantly, be sure you and your dog are in good physical shape to endure lengthy hikes or whatever other outdoor activities you are planning. 2. Make sure the campground you choose allows dogs, and whether or not they must be leashed. 3. Make sure your dog has all shots required by law, and prepare documents to take along to verify this, if necessary. 4. If you know you will be away from a natural water source, or are aware that such a source is not safe for drinking, plan on taking plenty of containers of water - and, for heaven’s sake, don’t forget the water dish! 5. Take along flea and tick powder (one of the extra dog items you need to add to your camping gear list), insect repellant, and a small first-aid kit if your dog’s exploring causes cut or scratches, etc. (Your vet can advise you further in this area.) 6. Your dog’s familiar toys – especially rawhide – will help keep him near you. Take favorites – but replaceable ones – in case they get lost in the terrain. 7. Take pet waste bags and scoopers (two other extras to be added to your list) to avoid confrontations with other campers. 8. If you know the terrain is going to be rough or sharp, to avoid damaging your dog’s paw pads, consider special boots (Another extra to add) that can protect your dog’s feet from injury, or in winter keep them from getting too cold. 9. Learn to distinguish between safe and unsafe plant life, some of which are poisonous to your dog or, at the least, can cause irritation or injury, and avoid them. Take a list with pictures with you. 10. Be sure to include bright and reflective clothing for your dog as well as yourself that is distinguishable from the natural surroundings. 11. Make sure you have proper identification on your dog in case he gets lost – preferably a tag with a cell phone number so that you can be reached immediately. After you arrive, there are other considerations for your dog, such as: 1. Always have your dog in sight, or on a leash (which some campgrounds require). Widlife such as snakes, skunks, bears, etc., can be a problem for a roaming pet. 2. You will be sharing the trail with hikers who may become anxious or scared if they see a dog on the loose without its owner nearby. Do not assume that they “love” your pet. 3. Finally, do not assume that your dog is “Superdog”. Watch for signs of fatigue. Take adequate rest breaks. Dogs, especially, tire easily, since they have no sweat glands and can overheat very quickly. In short, camping with your dog can be a very rewarding experience if you take the right precautions and add the appropriate items to your camping gear list. You and your dog will have a good time and your camping neighbors will be very appreciative.
By Glenn H. Kipps Camping with the kids! You knew the time would come! Jimmy has outgrown the backyard campsite. “This isn’t real camping.” he says. Janey always echos her brother. “Yeah! This isn’t like real camping!” she says, as she glances at her brother for approval. Camping with the kids. You’ve heard all of the stories… the nightmare… and especially that thousand-decibel cry, “I wanna go home!” at two in the morning right after a coyote somewhere out there howls at the moon. It’s a right of passage, they used to say for the father to take his son camping. Now… guess what?! Mom and the girls stick out their chins and say, “We’re going, too!” You hope for the best, but all of those stories from your friends with children… they’ve “been there”. Fifty Million people can’t be wrong. Best friends Randy and Jane insist they’ve been emotionally “scarred for life”. So here you are… with a loaded SUV ready to make your own nightmare. This is where the prayers come in. The campsite is beautiful, but kids don’t notice such things, or do they? Hey, Dad,” Jimmy says, “This place is really beautiful!” “Yeah, it’s really bee-yoo-ti-ful!” echoes Janey with a giggle. Guess you were wrong. But kids don’t pitch in. They just run around. As you prepare to drive to the camp store to get some important supplies you forgot at home in your haste to get on the road, you glance at the pile of tents, coolers, equipment, etc.,and sigh thinking of the work ahead. Coming back from the camp store with the necessary items that were forgotten at home, you are sure you have come to the wrong campsite. The tents are up. The food is stored properly. The folding table and chairs are in place, and a cold drink awaits. “The kids did it,” his wife says jubilantly, “with a little help from me.” Wrong again! It’s getting late. To get an early start in the morning everyone agrees to retire early. You are expecting that two a.m. cry, “I wanna go home.” You can’t sleep. Your watch says two. The next thing you know, your watch says seven. No one woke up. Wrong again! Everyone’s ready to hike the trail. This will be it, you think. They’ll be complaining about aching feet, hunger, you name it. We’re halfway. You’re tired. They’ll be whining in a minute. “Whatamatter, Dad? Here, let me take your backpack.” Jimmy is sympathetic. “Yeah, you’re tired,” says Janey as she tilts her head at you and pats your head. Can’t believe it! Wrong again! The day was wonderful… and the next day… and the next. We sang all the way home. Camping with the kids! …One of the great experiences in life. It’s a lot of fun, too! You always knew it. (Also, it’s great to have someone along to carry your backpack, lol.)
by Glenn H. Kipps
Camping can be fun if you take the right precautions and have all you need on your camping gear list. Here is an example of how a Camping Trip can go totally wrong (extreme worst case scenerio) and a few tips on how you can prevent these things from happening to you. Your food tent is torn to shreds. A family of racoons is snarling at you. Your kids are trembling in the car with your wife. You are standing behind the car banging a stick. However, it is too late. They got to your meat and everything else that is not secured in a can or jar. So, you figure, for tonight, you still have your canned goods. What was that? You forgot the can opener. After walking a quarter a mile to various campsites, you realize no one has a can opener. They opted for steaks and shish-ka-bobs – nothing in cans. The camp store is all the way at the entrance to the campground (about 1.5 miles away in some instances). You have already walked a good ways. By the time you get back to the campsite, you have lost all motivation to drive to the camp store to get a new can opener. So, you end up borrowing some bread from a neighbor (the racoons already got into your bread) and have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. Your stomach is growling with hunger. After you and your family eat the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you have a couple of beers. A little while later, you go into the woods to relieve yourself (at this point, the bathroom is just too far to walk). On the way back to the campsite, you step on an in-ground bees’ nest, and your legs are twice their size and hurt like you know what. There is no stream or even a puddle to jump into to relieve the pain. Your back is burnt to a crisp. Your feet are bruised from the rough terrain. Your arms are covered with mosquito bites and bee stings from when you stepped on the bees’ nest. Your ripped up t-shirt is binding a gash in your leg caused by your tripping over a sharp stick. Your dog has disappeared over the horizon chasing a squirrel. You took off his collar to make him comfortable and don’t know how you’ll find him. You stepped in his droppings and ruined your moccasins. The campfire spread to dry leaves around it and melted one end of your cooler, exploding the cans of beer inside. You have hot beer all over you as a result. At least the canned fruit and the grape soda are fine. They are in the other cooler away from the fire. The kids are crying and your wife is sulking, because they are hungry. Remember, the only thing you all had to eat was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You drop down in dispair on a tree stump. What went wrong?! First of all, you should have stored your food a little ways away from any of your tents. That way, if an animal takes an interest in your food, it won’t destroy your campsite. Also, do not take any food into your tent. If you want a midnight snack, eat it outside. As for the can opener, you seem to be a good candidate for those folding ones that fit on your key chain, providing you don’t lose your keys. As for the bees and mosquitos, you should invest in insect repellant. It really works. Also, a first-aid kit should be a given for campers. Both fo these items are important items that should be on your camping gear list. Do you know if any member of your family is allergic to bee stings? People die from bee stings. An antidote exists for that, too, and can be made part of the kit. Also, a good kit has an ace bandage for such things as the gash in your leg (Weren’t you watching where you were going? Hope it wasn’t a favorite t-shirt.). Oh, no! You didn’t bring something most people wouldn’t leave home without? Sun block! You had better hope your good old buddy next door doesn’t slap you on the back and say “Welcome home!” Did you really think the collar was uncomfortable for your dog? Under no circumstances should you take the ID off of your dog. He can’t say his name and phone number. Ever hear of a leash? Also, wild animals often see them as prey. Your moccasins are probably history. Don’t you know that good campers bring waste bags and scoopers? You’re lucky your neighbors did not meet the same fate. You might have been history! Wearing moccasins, to a camp out is not bright anyway. You will probably be soaking your feet for a week. Hiking boots exist, you know. As for the fire, what did you think would happen with dry leaves all around the flames? The word “dry” is a clue. Did you think there were tiny little firemen hiding in the leaves waiting to put out the inevitable fire? Get rid of any dry leaves before you start your fire. Also, have the [tag-ice]beer cooler[/tag-ice] in reach but not so close that the fire can get so much heat to it that all the ice melts and the beer explodes. Camping can be fun and extremely rewarding as long as you use common sense and have a well-equipped camping gear list. Remember to check over all your gear before you go and make sure your first aid kit is equipped for every possible scenario. If you do these things, you will have fun with very little consequence. by Glenn H. Kipps What is a camping trip without a campfire? It would be a rather boring camping experience, don’t you think? Building a campfire can be a very rewarding experience, but there are some safety precautions and other factors one should know about before leaving. Here are a few tips on campfire safety that should be adhered to in order to ensure you have a great camping experience. 1. Before going on your camping trip, make sure you choose the right campground. Before you make a reservation (neccessary on a busy weekend like Memorial Day), find out the campground’s rules on campfires. Believe it or not, some campgrounds do not allow campfires at all. They have their reasons. However, I can not imagine what they could be. I usually avoid these places like the plague. If you do not do your research and show up at one of these places, you are just plain out of luck… “Oops!! Look at the signs around the campground. No campfires!! Sorry, honey. I should have done my research.” There are also areas where you can have campfires, but you can not pick your wood from the woods. There are many places in these areas where you can buy bundles of wood for $3.00 a bundle on up. You have to spend a little bit of money if you want your fire to go all night (or until bed time anyway). However, if you get to one of these areas and you want to build a campfire, that is what you are going to have to do. In California, this type of camping is unavoidable. I did a lot of camping there and did not find a place anywhere where you could pick your own wood. Then, you have the places that, pretty much, have no real restriction. The only thing they ask is you adhere to general fire safety. These are my favorite places to go. 2. Most of the latter type campgrounds have designated fire pits. USE THEM!!! They are there for your safety. They are usually in the area of the campsite where there are the least low-hanging branches and furthest away from your tent site. If there is not a fire pit, you can easily build one by gathering enough big rocks to put in a circle. This wall of rocks must be big enough to keep the wood inside the ring. Also, clear away any twigs, dried leaves, paper, etc within several feet from the fire pit. 3. When building your fire, start out with small twigs, a little paper and anything else that can be used as a fire starter. Side note: Some folks put dried leaves on the pile to help start the fire. I do not use them, because they make a fire smokey. Then, you start putting your kindling down. These sticks are a little bigger than the twigs (about 1/2″ to 1″ in diameter). After that, throw on your bigger logs. There are several way to do this. I like to build a tepee style fire the best. I feel this is the strongest fire structure. There you go… A little architectural lesson from the Indians. 4. Make sure your fire is a comfortable size. Building your fire too big could be catastrophic to the people in your group as well as your camping neighbors. It will not be a great thing for the wildlife and the forest either. “Oh, no! The tree overhead just caught fire. What should I do?” Make sure that you have the correct equipment (ie. bucket full of water, shovel or a fire extinguisher) in case the fire does leave the boundaries of the fire pit. 5. Have fun. Bring out the weenies and the marshmallows. Play cards. Tell stories. However, you must also be safe. Respect your fire. There should be no horseplay around the fire. I hope these tips on campfire safety have helped you plan a safe camping trip. |
To read the full article visit: http://www.eurodestination.com/Destinations/Ireland/ring-of-kerry-ireland.htm
Cosy small site near Baldock in Hertfordshire
Here is my gear list for a typical three-season hike. This is everything I carry except a little more food. I like to keep everything light and try to carry on the essentials. Backpacking can be lightweight, no doubt. Don’t be one of the boyscouts who ways 110lbs and has a 60lbs pack! Seems like I have seen quite a few of them.